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Madeline and the Gypsies (special)
Madeline and the Gypsies is a 1991 Canadian-American animated television special produced by Cookie Jar and France Animation. It premiered on April 9, 1991. It's largely based on the book Madeline and the Gypsies with minor adaptation changes. Plot The special opens as an owl lands on the Old House. Inside the Girls have dinner, brush their teeth and go to bed as always. The next morning they go out for their walk. Madeline sees a sports car pass by and begins to imagine herself driving an assortment of vehicles, from the sports car, to a steam locomotive and finally a tugboat. Ms. Clavel eventually brings her back to reality. Suddenly Pepito runs from across the bridge shouting in glee. The Gypsy Carnival has arrived in town. The Carnival Caravan passes by, showcasing all the fun things the Gypsy troupe has to offer. Madeline begs Ms. Clavel to let the class attend the Carnival and she consents. Everyone has a fun time playing games, seeing the Gypsies' exotic animals and riding the ferris wheel. Suddenly a fierce storm hits and the Gypsies are forced to shut down the carnival. Ms. Clavel gathers the Girls and brings them to the taxi stand to head home. In all the confusion, no one realizes that Madeline and Pepito are still stranded on top of the ferris wheel. At the boarding school everyone has gotten in from the evening rain. They quickly get ready for bed and Mrs. Murphy brings soup for everyone. At that moment, Ms. Clavel realizes that Madeline is missing! Next door, the Ambassadress also finds that Pepito has not returned home. Back at the now abandoned carnival, Madeline and Pepito recognize that they can't wait for rescue. A gust of wind blows a loose rope up to their seat on the ferris wheel. Madeline ties it to the seat and proposes climbing down. But Pepito, not to be outdone in bravery, climbs down instead. He manages to swing to the wheel's main strut, much to Madeline's relief. Pepito climbs down the rest of the way to the ground and goes to find help. Pepito knocks on one of the Gypsies' caravan vans belonging to Mama Gypsy. She's a little hard of hearing so there's some communication trouble at first. He explains the situation and she quickly recruits the troupe's strongman, clown and elephant to rescue Madeline. Being performers, they can't resist making the rescue a stunt act, much to Madeline's delight. Mama Gypsy fixes the children dinner before calling them a cab to take them home. Pepito and Madeline beg to be allowed to stay as they had so much fun at the carnival all day, but Mama Gypsy does not want their families to worry. Unknown to her, Madeline and Pepito do not get in the cab and opt to join the Gypsies on their travels. The next morning the Gypsy troupe packs up the carnival and boards their caravan out of Paris. By the evening they're far out in the countryside and singing a road song. When a stowaway Madeline and Pepito join in, Mama Gypsy stops the caravan and demands to know why they are there. Madeline and Pepito assert that they are mature enough to be on their own. Mama Gypsy consents to them staying for a short time, assuming the children earn their keep and contact their respective parents from the next stopover. Madeline and Pepito are obviously elated to hear this. The caravan resumes its journey and the road song recommences. Back in Paris, the Girls are out looking for Madeline. Ms. Clavel and the Spanish Ambassadors are filing a missing persons report of the children with the police. The next morning, the caravan has reached Chateau Fountain-bleu outside of Paris. Madeline and Pepito begin to enjoy the perks of being on the road. They never have to go to school, brush their teeth or sleep. The troupe eventually makes its way to Normandy. Madeline and Pepito do their best to earn their keep, but unlike the Gypsies, they have not been raised in the carnival and have trouble learning some of the more advanced tricks. They decide it's time to send Ms. Clavel notification that they're okay. Back at the boarding school, everyone is feeling sad and scared by Madeline's disappearance. Suddenly Mrs. Murphy rushes in as she's received the mail, Madeline's postcard has arrived. Everyone is relieved to know Madeline and Pepito are alive and well (but Ms. Clavel is a little distressed by their declining spelling). She recognizes the postage stamp as Honfleur in Normandy. She calls the Spanish Ambassadors who quickly rush the class in their limo to the train station. At the carnival, the Gypsies have run into a big problem. Their star act lion has come down with an illness and cannot perform. They resolve to find another lion in the interim, but being in continental Europe, there's not exactly a supply to meet the demand on short notice. Gypsy Mama comes up with a workaround by commissioning Madeline and Pepito to try posing as a lion with a very realistic costume. She reasons, "The Show must go on." Mama Gypsy completes the suit with the children inside. After overcoming a learning curve in movement coordination, the two make their way to the center ring (scaring the clown and lion tamer in the process). The tamer trains the "lion" in circus acts before he is fed and put to bed. The next morning the "lion" goes for a stroll in Normandy's beautiful forests. Things are fine before it comes to a farm and frightens the animals. When the farmers come out with guns, the lion runs back into the forest. Madeline and Pepito reach a peak of frustration, completely tired of being lions, gypsies and traveling entertainers. They both admit it's time to go home, realizing just how much they miss their friends and family. They make their way back to the carnival, passing underneath a train bridge which the class is riding on. Madeline and Pepito make it back in time for the performance and undertake their act perfectly. Just then Madeline spots the class and Pepito's parents in the front row. They bolt from the center ring towards the class, scaring them half to death. Madeline embraces Ms. Clavel and expresses how much she's missed her as Chloe wonders how a lion could possibly be speaking. Ms. Clavel removes the lion mask and joyfully realizes that it's Madeline and Pepito, much to the Ambassadors and the Girls' delight. The Gypsies escort the class to the train station. The entire troupe is quite sad to see Madeline and Pepito leave. Ms. Clavel thanks the troupe for taking such good care of the children. The class boards the train which departs for Paris. Madeline and Pepito are overjoyed to finally be going home after such a grand adventure. The train pulls into Paris late at night and everyone heads to the boarding school. The adults' first order of business is sharply reprimanding Madeline and Pepito for running away and demanding they never do something so reckless again. The children agree, but fondly remember their time in the circus. The Girls, say grace, eat dinner, brush their teeth and go to bed. After the Girls have gone to sleep, Ms. Clavel sneaks back into the room with a flashlight to count them once again. She is relieved to see Madeline sleeping safe and sound back home where she belongs. Miles away, the Gypsy troupe continues on to their next venue.